Improvement in machines for cutting matches



UNITED STATES IPATENT Orricn,

ANTONY VELSCH, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING MATCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 43,358, dated June 2S,1864.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTONY WELscH, of Chicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illinois, have invented a new and useful ImprovementinMatch-Cutters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings and the letters and figures marked thereon, whichform part of this specication.

In said drawings, which are hereunto anneXed, Figure l represents aperspective view ofmyinvention. Fig. 2 is atransverse sectional view ofthe blocli F, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the same through theline C D in Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference in the several iigures denote the sameparts of my invention.

The nature of my invention consists in the employment, in combinationwith a cuttingtool provided with a series of semicircular grooves, of aseries of spring-steel cutters, arranged inthe rear of the aforesaidgrooves in such a manner that when the match-cutter is moved forward thesaid grooves cut the upper half of the match-sticks from the wood, whilethe aforesaid semicircular cutters ot' spring-steel, which are placedimmediately behind the grooves and form the opposite arc of the circle,cut the lower half of the matchsticks from the wood, and thus by asingle stroke ofthe instrument the sticks are cut of any desired lengthand number.

My invention also consists in arranging the elastic rear critters, abovedescribed, in two rows, one being arranged just at the rear 0f the otheralternately, or in any equivalent manner, so that said cutters may havefreer play, and so that the cutting is distributed and less obstructionis presented by the wood to the passage ofthe cutters through the s me.

To enable those skilled in the art fully to understand how to constructand use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same withparticularity,'reference being made to the aforesaid drawings.

E represents the wooden body of an ordinary benchplane, substantiallythe only difference being such as is necessary to conform it to thepeculiar cutting device constituting my invention.

F represents a block of brass or other suitable metal provided with alongitudinal groove, in which the steel bar I is adjusted and confinedby means of the set-screwf.

I I at its lower end is provided with the series of grooves beforedescribed, which cut the upper portion ot" the round match-stiel;

' from the wood, which grooves are marked a in the drawings. This bar orcutter I is adiustable up and down in F, so as to adapt it to therequired depth or position when in use. The lower end of F is providedwith a series of deep narrow channels or sawcuts, into which the cuttersc o' are inserted, as shown. F is also provided with two chambers, b andL. The chamber b receives the ends of the steel springs c c', andpermits an adjustment (f said springs either by dropping them lower orby raising them higher, as may be desired.

I When adjusted to the desired position, the said springs are readilyconiined in place by means of the loose blocks d, arranged between themin the chamber li., and the set-screw c. By arranging the grooves avfarther apart the Ispring-cutters c c might be arranged in a single rowacross the instrument, only in suoli case much ofthe wood would bewasted, whereas by the alternate arrangement of the cutters (shown inFig. 2) the grooves may be paced contiguous to each other,therebysaving` and avoiding such waste.

` I have shown my invention with only four grooves and cutters, and asarranged to be operated by hand, but there may be a series of anydesired number of grooves and corresponding elastic or flexible cutters,and may I be operated by machinery, as is the case with I aplaningmachine, or in any suitable manner, either by moving theinstrument or by making the machine or cutter stationary and moving thewood upon the cutters.

Having described my improvement in l match-cutters, l will now specifywhat I claim as new herein and desire to secure by Letters Patent.

1. The combination and arrangement of a series of cutting-grooves, a,with a c0rrespending series of iiexible springcritters, c c', whethersaid cutters c c' are arranged alternately, as shown, or not, operatingsubstantially as and for the purposes herein described and shown.

2. Arranging the spring-cutters c c alternately in two rows,substantially in the manner and for the purposes specified.

ANTONY WELSCIL Witnesses:

XV. E. MAUS, WM. A. HnNDRrs,

